The main point that affects Linux is the fact that now, no non-member ofthe IBTA can implement any working Infiniband code, otherwise they mightrun into legal problems. As an anonymous member of a IBTA company toldme: If someone downloads the spec without joining the IBTA, and proceeds to use the spec for an implementation of the IBTA spec, that person (company) runs the risk of being a target of patent infringement claims by IBTA members.

Another person, wanting to remain anonymous stated to me: In justification for this position people say that they are just trying to get more people to join the IBTA because they need the dues, which by coincidence are $9500 per year, and point out that some other commonly used specs are similarly made available for steep prices. I don't know one way or the other about that but this sounds a lot like the reason that we all gave ourselves for NOT including SDP in the kernel[1].

So, even if a IBTA member company creates a Linux IB implementation, andgets it into the kernel tree, any company who ships such aimplementation, who is not a IBTA member, could be the target of anypatent infringement claims[2].

So, OpenIB group, how to you plan to address this issue? Do you allhave a position as to how you think your code base can be accepted intothe main kernel tree given these recent events?

thanks,

greg k-h

[1] SDP, for those who do not know, is a part of the IB spec thatMicrosoft has come out and stated they they currently own the patentsthat cover that portion of the specification, and that anyone who wantsto implement it, needs to get a licensing agreement with them. Ofcourse, that license agreement does not allow for a GPLed version of theimplementation.

[2] Sure, any person who has a copy of the kernel source tree could be atarget for any of a zillion other potential claims, nothing new there,but the point here is they are explicitly stating that they will goafter non-IBTA members who touch IB code[3].

[3] An insanely stupid position to take, given the fact that any normalindustry group would be very happy to actually have people use theirspecification, but hey, the IB people have never been know for theirbrilliance in the past...-To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" inthe body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.orgMore majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.htmlPlease read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/